Still Here
by ZJeM
Summary: Make me a promise that / Time won't erase us / That we were not lost from the start. [Written for Tumblr's PJOShipWeeks 2014]


**Disclaimer: **I don't own the _Percy Jackson_ or _Heroes of Olympus _series, RR does.

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**A/N:** Written for Tumblr's PJOShipWeeks 2014 (27.07-03.08: Thaluke). Posting today because I won't have access to my comp during the entire Thaluke week. c:

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**Suggested listening: **Digital Daggers - _Still Here_

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_**Still Here**_

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They made it. They managed to escape the monsters with just a few scratches as bleeding reminders of their narrow escape. All he can think of, everything that matters in his life in this one and only moment, are _them_. Annabeth and Thalia. His only family, the ones he'd gladly die for, if the Fates ever demanded the highest price for their survival.

He holds them in his arms, keeps them close to his heart, where they already belong, anyway. She is laughing, chuckling hoarsely with a few droplets of blood painting her lips crimson red. Thalia's electric-blue eyes meet his and she grins, and he can feel nothing but endless gratitude towards whatever that was that allowed him to jump next to her in the memorable, dreadful moment, when the beast was trying to deliver a fatal blow.

"I promised, didn't I?" he smiles, reminding them of the oath he has once made. _Family_. Nothing is ever going to tear them apart, and if anything even tried, he'd make it think the matter thoroughly once again.

**X**

It is weird, at first, getting used to living in the camp. Odd to wake up in a place where she doesn't have to watch out for monsters all the time, strange to actually sleep in something that is not an old, torn sleeping bag. But the thing that bothers her most is that they are nowhere in sight when she wakes up.

The first time she sees Luke and Annabeth during the day is breakfast and, watching them come onto the path to the dining pavilion, talking and laughing with their godly siblings, she can't help but feel just a tiny little bit jealous. Until recently, it was only the three of them, and now... What if they forget about her..?

"Thalia!" she hears him call her name and all the doubts disappear with the way they are waiting for her, smiling and waving for her to join them. Luke is holding Annabeth's hand and, although Thalia is not a child anymore, nor there is anything to fear nearby, she, too, grabs his palm and gives it a firm squeeze before they go on, step by step and heart by heart.

**X**

He's always known she is a better swordsman, there is no need to have it reminded in front of his cabin and half of the other campers. Needless to say, he won't pretend he's not sulky, sprawled on the ground with the tip of her Celestial Bronze blade pressed to the skin of his throat. And her? Thalia only flashes her teeth at him in that pert, self-satisfied grin of hers.

"C'mon, Luke, stand up" she pulls away her sword and sticks out a hand to help him up, and that is exactly when the crazy idea appears in his head. He must have been spending too much time with his siblings.

Luke accepts her help, or so it only seems before he yank his arm backwards and sends her flying on top of him. The bruises on his chest are so much worth the cheers from the crowd and her red cheeks when she finally rolls to the side, turning away from him in outrage.

He pushes himself to his feet and stands over her. "C'mon, Thalia, stand up" he snickers at the sight of the frown on her face. She takes his hand, however, but it isn't until it's already too late that he notices the mischievous glint in her eyes.

Crushing into the dirt next to herself laughing like a madman, he can only smile when she whispers straight into his ear "Now we're even!"

**X**

He looks at her strangely when she burns a sacrifice for her father, she can see that even from across the place. When she leaves for the night, he jumps up from his seat to joins her, leaving uneaten leftovers for the dryads to take care off.

"Why do you do this? Why are you nice to your father?" he asks while they walk slowly, the last word coming out more bitter and full of distaste than whatever he has ever said to her. She sighs quietly, they've already had talks about this before.

"Because, Luke, maybe I want to believe he's not that much of an asshole? Maybe I like to think he's actually helped me a few times?" she replies but sees in the way he's folded his arms and in his eyebrows drawn together that he isn't anyhow convinced. "Luke..." she says softly and he shudders when she puts her hand on his shoulder. "Why would you waste your life for acrimony?" She grins at him "Better save the strength for showing them who really kicks asses when the time comes!"

Luke hesitates, but can't help but return the smile. They walk some more in silence until he decides to break it "But seriously, _acrimony_? Where'd you even take that from?"

She laughs, putting her hands in her jacket's pockets. "I hang out with Annabeth, you know?" she mutters, listening to the addicting melody of his slightly raspy laughter.

**X**

"She looks so happy, doesn't she?" Thalia questions, falling on the bench next to Luke and offering him her plate of French fries, which he gladly accepts. They are observing Annabeth geeking out with some of her brothers and sisters, and the both of them can't suppress smiles at the sight of the girl's concentrated face and the instructive gestures she makes.

"Yeah, she does" he confirms, munching on the fries. They sit in quiet but there is still one thing he's meant to say left. He's well aware she's noticed, she always knows whenever anything lies heavy on him.

"Spill it out" she encourages through a mouthful of salty treats. He hangs back just for a few more moments. Won't that sound way too weird?

"Are you?" he finally questions quietly "Happy, I mean..." he searches her face for any hints of distress or insincerity, if she tried to deceive him. The only thing he finds are her eyes shining brightly when her whole face lightens up in response.

"I've never been happier in my life and you know it all too well!" she announces, not quite caring about the flush on her cheeks, for once. He feels his heart grow.

"Yeah, you're right..." his lips curve upwards while he doesn't take his orbs off hers.

**X**

"What do they mean, I can't visit you at this hour?!" Thalia snorts, watching Luke fidgeting nervously like she's last seen him when they were on the run. "And what's with you, I don't see any monsters near?" she asks, leaning back on the tiles of their dorm's roof.

"It's not about that" he replies in a hushed voice "What if we get caught?" his eyes lock on hers, he is frowning and doesn't even try to hide his anxiousness. Thalia sighs deeply.

"C'mon, nobody's gonna find out" she mumbles, but the rebellious mood from earlier is already gone. She can't sit there and have fun if he's so stressed out. "If you want, we can go back" The wrinkle on his forehead smoothes out right away. "Only..."

"What? What is it?" he hurries, eager to get back to places safer from the school authorities' strict eyes. She takes her time to answer, not entirely sure what it is that bothers her.

"I guess..." she mutters eventually "I miss you and Annabeth... Kind of" her knotted tongue doesn't make it any easier to let the words out, neither do the warm blues piercing her in a way she is sure could reach the whole of her soul, if he wanted them to. "We don't spend as much time as we used to together... Just the three of u-" the last word hitches in her throat when she feels his hand on hers. She shoots him a questioning gaze, feeling the night air is suddenly all too hot.

"Family, right? I'm not taking the words back" he says slowly, looking at the stars. "We may have less time for each other, but this is never gonna change, I promise" he looks at her and there is so much more in his gaze than mere words can hold. She only smiles but neither of them feels any need for anything more to be said.

**X**

"What a bitch!" he flinches when she yells. They've taken their food and are going to meet up with Annabeth for lunch. That requires crossing a few spots full of primary school children.

"Hey, Thalia, there are kids nearby" he sighs, knowing she's too angry to be restraint, anyway. He just trots after her and hopes she won't settle for even worse swearwords. Luke is almost sure there have gone a spark or two through her body and wouldn't want to check on his own poor skin if they were really there.

"But have you seen her?!" Thalia turns to him with her features distorted by the pure piss off running in her veins. "Who does she think she is, your owner or something?!" they stop as Thalia stares at him, demanding an answer for the question which he, obviously, doesn't have.

"She just said she wanted to eat with me, what's the big deal..?" he quietly tries to defend the girl who is probably going to have nightmares about Thalia's fury, anyways.

The black-haired girl's eyes are wide with disbelief. "Oh yeah. No big deal. Only she treated me like shit and handled you as if you were her... _Boy-toy_" she seems almost nauseous, having to feel the last word on her tongue. Thalia shakes her head and bolts off suddenly, making him have to run to catch up with her.

"Could it be that..." he smirks, hoping a good old Thalia-style tease is going to be enough to cheer her up "You're jealous..?" She halts and when he turns around to look at her, her face has transformed into a tomato. Cute, human one with freckles, but a tomato nevertheless.

"_What?!_" she breathes weakly and herself in state of a severe shock makes him laugh. "I'm _not _jealous!" she growls, having regained some of her composure. "Don't flatter yourself!" she smacks him on the arm and goes on, but he sees she's not able to get rid of the blush just yet.

**X**

"_You dropped me into the lake_, how am I supposed not to flip out?! Let me tell you, the water's _freezing_, asshole!" Thalia shouts, pacing in the direction of Zeus' temple, where she stays, dribbling wet, with smudged eyeliner and hair that would make a rooster so damn horny! She isn't going to forgive him, how dare he ask for mercy when he's still shaking with the force of choking on his own laughter?!

"Oh-! Tha-! Thalia-! Please-!" he manages to gasp out, wiping away the tears and clutching his aching stomach. "It was funny!" he grins, easily matching her tempo with those ridiculously long legs of his, as he's recently hit his growth spurt.

She snorts. "Yeah, but it's not you being like _that_!" she points at the whole hopelessness of her current look. "And in front of everybody, _thank you very much_!" she turns on her heel and wants to leave the bastard alone with his irritating amusement but his grip on her wrist stops her. Now that makes her _really_ mad! "What is it now, want to laugh some mo-?!" she freezes at the sight of the blush on his cheeks and the sheepish smile attached to his lips.

"To me" he mutters, embarrassed "You're the prettiest girl out here, anyway" he looks at her shyly. They stand like this in silence for a while, in the strangest configuration of his eyes fastened on the ground and her heart beating so furiously in her chest she is sure everybody can hear.

"Let. Me. Go!" she squeaks, leaving him in the woods and having yet to calm her raging feelings down.

**X**

"What do I even need it for?!" she howls, running her hands through the mess of her raven-black wisps. Luke takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and listening to her tapping on the notebook. "It's not like I'm ever going to use all this bullshit later on in my life" he peeks at Thalia pointing at the math's book. They are sitting in the library and he is sure his tutoring would be of great help if only she actually wanted to listen to him for longer than five minutes.

"Oh no, of course not" he says sarcastically. "It's not like you need to be able to count to get a decent job and-" her snort throws him off his balance "What?!"

"You know, maybe I could just take up tracking down monsters, huh? Save some demigod butts" she leans back on her chair and folds her hands behind her head. "Oh!" she throws herself back onto the table, propping her chin with her palm, her face so close to his that he can feel her breath on his cheeks. "I had that offer from the Hunt... Maybe I'd actually accept..?"

He is frowning before he even fully registers what's happening to his face. "You really would..?" he asks quietly, remembering what that would mean for him - disabling him from spending time with her not only for his entire life, but for the whole eternity. Thalia looks at him curiously before a small smile appears on her features and she messes up his hair playfully.

"You know I wouldn't, I'm just teasing you" she ensures him, grabbing back the book she has closed earlier. "Now, where were we..?"

**X**

The sky bursts in colors one more time, getting amazed cheers from some of the easier affected campers. The display doesn't exactly impress her that much. The daughter of Zeus is used to much more spectacular explosions in the air. Even so, 4th of July has never been as enjoyable as at camp, with her family on her blanket and crowds of familiar faces filling the field.

Annabeth is snuggled to her side, already asleep. It's something else entirely, how this little girl can even rest in such a noise! Well, she's not a baby anymore, is she? The blonde always says being nine-years-old is already serious age. Judging by her vast knowledge, Thalia can't help but agree.

"Want some more?" Luke nudges her side, handling her a few of the last marshmallows they've brought along. She nods eagerly, gladly accepting the sweets. They keep watching the show until Thalia realizes that, well, Luke hasn't really been paying attention to the fireworks, settling for staring at her profile, instead.

"What?!" she asks, a little too much of a squeak than she'd want it to sound. And why does she even blush, gods damn it all?!

He only chuckles. "Nothing really..." he murmurs, his intense blue-eyed gaze beginning to make her feel uneasy.

"But, really, say something. You're starting to creep me out" she complains, moving to the side if it wasn't for Annabeth whom she doesn't want to wake up.

Luke laughs in his newly found, throaty, masculine voice, startling a few younger campers nearby. She rolls her eyes. "I was just thinking..." he finally says "Isn't it just perfect? You, me, Annabeth..." he trails off but she doesn't need him to finish to know _exactly_ what he means. She smiles despite herself. Yeah, he's right. Everything's just fine. She wouldn't change a thing, ever.

**X**

"Thalia, please, wait!" he yells in desperation, chasing after her. They've run into the forest next to his high school, but she doesn't stop, avoiding the trees and low branches like a deft wild animal, while he struggles not to trip and lose her from his sight. Dammit, what have he done?!

"Fuck you, Luke, leave me alone!" she shouts and his heart breaks at the note of pain in her thick voice. Please, he couldn't have made her cry, could he..?! "Go to _her_, I'm sure she'll give you way more attention than I do!" Thalia screams and when he blinks, she's nowhere in sight. His breath hitches in his throat.

"Thalia?!" he calls, but if she's still near, she doesn't answer. He punches one of the trees in frustration. His fist hurts like a motherfucker, but it still isn't enough to stifle the pain of his heart. "Nothing happened, _I swear_! She wanted to kiss me, but I didn't let her!"

"Oh really?!" Luke freezes at the sound of her voice coming from somewhere behind all the trunks multiplying in his sight. "So what did I see?! Don't try to bullshit me about that stupid bitch all over your body not being a fine make-out session!" He moves around cautiously, trying to track her down by her voice. "Gods, I don't even know why I care! Guess I just didn't take you for _that kind of guy_..!" she sobs. "Zoë was right, guys will always let you down in the e-!"

He pins her back to the tree, breathing heavily and on the verge of tears himself. "Please" he whispers, wiping the remnants of her make-up away with his thumb "Please, let me... Let me show you..." pleading tightens his throat while he does nothing but stare, drink in the beauty of her eyes, her face, her whole. He finally understands.

He shows her that she's the only one he ever wants to kiss.

**X**

"Luke's back!" Thalia's head jerks up at the announcement made by one of the campers being on guard at the hour. She jumps up and runs, runs senseless, the fastest she can, until she reaches the infirmary, where she was told he is. Why would Luke even need medical help? It's not that anything happened to him, right?!

"Luke!" she calls, shoving the curtains away. He budges a bit but doesn't lift his eyes, his sight fixated on his hands laying on his lap. She quickly examines his bare torso. One load off her mind, at least, it seems he hasn't suffered any severe injuries. But why doesn't he look at her, why is he so _distant_..? "Luke..?" she tries softly, sitting gently on the bunk next to him.

"Don't. It's nothing to be proud of" he croaks out and there is something in that few words, something she can't quite name but that makes her feel scared. What the hell happened in that stupid garden?!

"Luke, I need to-"

"No you _don't_!" he turns to her fiercely. There is dressing covering his cheek but she knows, she _feels_ the deepest wound is the one on his pride. "I'm a failure" he mutters, making her frown.

Thalia grabs his face with firm tenderness and his eyes widen when she takes the dressing off. "So this is it..?" she comments quietly, locking her eyes on his. The wound is almost face-long, still moist and definitely painful. She grins at him, relishing in the baffled look he's giving her. She leans close and whispers into his ear "I've always said scars are too damn sexy, anyway..."

**X**

"Where are you taking me to?" she asks for the umpteenth time during their walk and he only smirks. Wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, now would he? They are holding hands as he half guides, half drags her to where he has planned for them to spend their first anniversary - an occasion she has, as it seems, completely forgotten. So the better, his plot is going to have an even bigger impact, this way!

"I'm not saying anything, you'll see when we get there" he smiles when she tries to make _that_ face. "And don't try your tricks, sweetheart. They're not working today" the delightful expression is quickly replaced with a frown and she huffs quietly.

"I hate not knowing, and you _know_ that!" she complains, shooting him a harsh glare, but even this isn't enough to break him. Not today, not after he's worked his ass off to get those tickets! "Wait, is it..?" she seems to have finally realized where they have been headed.

The stadium's walls shine brightly in the afternoon sun, the parts that aren't covered in the giant banners, anyway. "Care to join the guys in front? Happy 1st anniversary" he hands out two tickets to Green Day and his face brightens even more at the sight of the utter shock and immense excitement mixing on her face. He knows that if she wasn't Thalia, she would be squealing, _loud_.

"How did you..? There were no..?" she croaks out, her eyes fixated on him in admiration stroking his ego fairly pleasantly, that he has to admit.

"I have my ways" he shrugs, his smile almost as wide as to match hers. "Oh, and I thought you'd want to wear this" he takes her favorite band T-shirt from his backpack.

Is the sweetness of that one kiss worth all the hardship he's gone through for her? He'd be crazy if he claimed otherwise.

**X**

They are laying in the grass of a hill at the edge of the camp and she doesn't know what it is - the hollow hooting in the distance, his fingers caressing her side perhaps some lower than usually, or maybe the night of full moon decorating their surroundings in dim, silver glow - but she feels somewhat different, somehow uneasy, someway _wilder_.

"Luke..?" she whispers, almost not recognizing the seductive tone of her own voice. She feels him stiffen by her side and blushes at the thought of what else could be hard in him if she went along with the thought that has nagged her for quite some time by now. She pushes her corpus up and tries to deal with her racing heartbeat and shallow breathing. Calm down, girl, it's just-!

"Thalia..?" she freezes at his puzzled answer. Swallowing hard, she turns back to him. Now or never, don't give up when you've come this far! She tries not to think about it too much when she flips her leg over his body, placing her palms flat on his chest and succeeding in not focusing on his widened eyes before she catches his mouth in a hungry kiss.

She feels he's surprised, at first, but when the pressure of his tongue on hers intensifies, she knows he's joined the game. She still doesn't know if he wants to go one step further than usually, but, well, it's a good start, right..? Thalia has never been the best talker, so she settles for showing him what she really wants. Luke breaks the kiss all of a sudden when she unbuttons his pants and she can't help but panic, rolling off him and burying her burning face in the grass.

The silence is being broken only by their light panting before she feels his hand on her shoulder blade. "Thalia, did you-?"

"Forget about it, I'm not pushing you to do anything you don't want!" she interrupts him hastily, before he would be able to say things she fears would hurt her. She frowns at the sound of his light chuckle and is forced to look at his pinky cheeks when he turns her onto her back.

"Believe me, I..." he begins in a playful tone, but then his features turn serious, in a matter of seconds. "I love you" he says softly, quietly, the most beautiful sound she has ever heard him make.

Pulling him close and clumsily whispering the words back, she knows it's going to be a night to remember in more than just one way.

**X**

Thalia cheers the loudest from the entire crowd when it's his time to go get the diploma. He walks up to the principal, slow, firm steps, to get a mere sheet of paper that is the sign of a new chapter in his life, the time that will, hopefully, be way more exciting than terrifying.

He gets off the stage and is immediately crushed in a two-sided hug, recognizing one weight as Thalia and another as Annabeth. "You did it, you're a graduate!" he hears the younger girl squeal while the other gives him a sappy kiss on the cheek.

"What do you do now?" Thalia asks, wrapping an arm around his waist while the blonde examines his diploma with uttermost care. He returns her smile and kisses the top of her head, not saying a word. "Hey, I asked a question!" she laughs, punching his chest jocularly.

He sighs, rolling his eyes in a mockingly dramatically manner. "No rest for a mature man!" he grunts, embracing her tightly before they walk away from the field, having to go after Annabeth before she escapes to another state with his documents. "I guess..." he finally starts "I'll go to the camp with you..."

Thalia snorts. "But that's obvious, moron! I was asking, _after_ that!" she presses. He falls silent for a while, taking his time to come up with the best answer.

"It will be perfect if it's with you, that I know for sure" he grins, rubbing circles on the small of his back with his thumb until she jumps away - what kind of boyfriend would he be if he didn't know where she is most ticklish?

"Aw, stop that or I'm gonna cry!" she pretends to wipe away tears of thrill. He gets at her suddenly and captures her in an overpowering hug.

"You're gonna regret saying that" he whispers dangerously quiet before tickling the hell out of her, leaving her laughing, gasping and shouting for him to let go or she is going to electrocute him.

Whatever it will bring, the future is for sure going to be exciting if it's with Thalia and Annabeth.

**X**

"Who is he, even? There have been no children of Poseidon here up until now" Luke complains, taking a sip of his lemonade as they sit on sand of the shore of the lake. Thalia laughs and he gives her a stink eye. "What's so funny?!" he groans.

She shrugs her shoulders. "Oh, nothing. It's just so adorable how the daddy's distrustful of his little girl's boy" she grins, cuddling to his side and breathing in the smell of bonfire smoke of his hoodie. Her head meets void when he leans back to look her in the eyes.

"Seriously? I'm so much of a sourpuss for you to badmouth me like that?" he asks, and the note of ache in his voice makes her laugh even louder.

"Oh yes, mister Annabeth's old one!" she teases. What she hasn't foreseen, however, is that the old man still has some vim, which he uses to throw her into the sand with him on top of her. "Ouch!" she winces in mock pain. "Be careful or there will be no sweets tonight..." she murmurs, tracing the line of his jaw flirtily, causing a low growl to resound from the back of his throat.

"We both know you won't be able to resist the lure, don't we..?" he murmurs before his mouth has a lot more entertaining things to do.

**X X X**

Luke wakes up suddenly, drenched in sweat and trembling from the overly strong sensation tonight's dreams have caused him to feel. He bites his lower lip hard, cutting the skin and drawing blood, but it's the last thing bothering him in that moment.

She's _gone_, he's known that for five years! Why does it feel as if she's within reach, why does it still _hurt_ so fucking bad that she's not?!

He kicks the sheets away and jumps up, pulling a pair of jeans on and running out of the cabin.

When he gets there, the tree is still going to be there, there is no way it wouldn't! It's not possible for him to have actually experienced the most intimate of caresses on that damn hill, instead of having to look at that sickening pine every day, no way he has given all his love to her and received an equal amount of her sweet treasure on that spot! There is no..!

A hoarse, bitter chortle escapes him when he reaches to touch the rough crust. He knew that. She's not here. Yet he's always fooled by those dreams... A part of him still wants to believe her smell, her laugh, her closeness - are not only true in his imagination, that Thalia by his side is _real_ and not the creation of his mad mind...

_The gods... It's because of them she's not with you... It's their selfishness and greed that cause all the evil in the world..._

"They don't deserve to rule..." he whispers, his lips alongside the damned trunk, breath ghosting over the _plant_ that was once human. "I... _We_ are going to stop them..!"

**X**

Her eyes open and the dream's over but she can still see his smile in front of her. Her heart squeezes, the pain of loss never goes away, no matter how much she tries to ignore it. She should have known better, was missing Jason ever over?

She stands up from her tent bedding and walks out to the fresh touch of early dawn's chilly air. She still remembers _his_ touch, the feeling that was never actually there...

Her heart is a mess, with not many feelings she's able to name. One thing she's sure is there, it's the killing longing for the boy she's lost - her best friend, her boyfriend, her _soulmate_..? She doesn't even know anymore. She regrets not being there for him to stop him from being deceived, she feels guilty for the last words she said to him being so harsh, so cruel... She doesn't even feel worth claiming him as hers, anymore.

A single tear escapes her eye and that is when she panics, rubbing the traitorous drop away with topmost disgust. She's not allowed to feel like that, she's the Head Hunter! An oath to Lady Artemis equals giving an end to any similar feelings towards a male, killing sentiments, forgetting about love..!

"Thalia!" she flinches at the sound of one of her hunter's call, however instantly putting on the usual stoic facade and smiling at the girl.

"What is it? You were supposed to take guard at my pine tree, weren't you?" she ascertains, hoping to prevent her voice from shaking, and her speaker nods.

"Yes, but... You need to see this" the note of anxiousness in her voice makes Thalia frown. What could it be that she couldn't take care of it herself? They quickly walk to the border of the camp and the sight Thalia's eyes meet stops all the blood flow in her veins. Maybe it's actually good for you that you didn't live to see the whole Roman legion marching at your home, Luke..?

"Crap."

**X X X**

_Every night, I dream you're still here.  
The ghost by my side, so perfect so clear.  
When I awake, you disappear,  
Back to the shadows  
With all I hold dear..._

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**ZJeM, 19-23.07.14**

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**From author:**

As this topic is an endless source, I could have made the story longer and more complex. I would have, if only I had had more time. c:

There may be mistakes in my calculations regarding American schooling system, I was too lazy to look it up thoroughly. Sorry.

THANKS FOR READING!


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